1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for towing disabled vehicles. More particularly, this invention relates to carrier assemblies designed to transport a disabled vehicle by means of a wrecker having a tow-sling.
2. Description of the Background Art
Since the development of automatic vehicular transmissions, it has been recognized that the towing of a disabled vehicle with its rear wheels contacting the roadway will cause great damage to the automatic transmission; hence, it has been long recognized that a disabled vehicle, having an automatic transmission, must be towed from the rear with only the front wheels contacting the road surface. However, unless the steering was locked with a steering wheel lock mechanism, it was soon realized that rearward towing was sometimes hazardous because of the possible swaying of the vehicle under two caused by the ability of the front wheels to turn during towing.
Many devices have been invented in response to the need for safe forward towing of a vehicle. Basically, these devices have consisted of a four-wheeled dolly designed to be positioned under the rear wheels of the vehicle so that the rear wheels of the vehicle do not contact the ground during towing. Probably the most prominent dolly presently being used in the industry is the type which is fitted about the rear wheels of the vehicle and then pivoted to a pop-up position to fully lift the rear wheels of the vehicle off the ground. Another popular version of the dollies requires that the vehicles be jacked up so that the rear wheels are off the road's surface and then the wheels of the dolly are installed thereunder. After the vehicle has been positioned on the dolly, the tow-sling of the wrecker engages the front end of the vehicle, and the vehicle is towed.
These towing dollies have been universally adopted throughout the industry. They have permitted a wrecker, manned by only one person, to quickly and easily tow a disabled vehicle without the rear wheels of the vehicle contacting the roadway, thereby eliminating any damage to the automatic transmission thereof. Moreover, with a dolly positioned under the front wheels of the vehicle, the vehicle may be towed rearwardly with great stability and virtually no swaying. The Information Disclosure Statement, filed concurrently herewith, illustrates the many types of dollies which presently exist.
Unfortunately, one major limitation to all of the aforementioned dollies is the requirement that the tow-sling of the wrecker be able to engage and lift the front end of the vehicle so that the front wheels of the vehicle do not engage the road surface during the tow. Likewise, with rearward towing, the tow-sling of the wrecker must be able to engage and lift the rear end of the vehicle so that the rear wheels of the vehicle do not engage the ground. Historically, the design of the vehicles themselves has provided adequate clearance for such engagement of the tow-sling to either the front or the rear end of the vehicle. However, in recent years with the proliferation of smaller sized vehicles, particularly sports cars, it has become impossible to lift the front or rear end of such vehicles without damage to the cosmetic panels affixed to the front or rear undercarriage of the vehicle.
While the aforementioned disadvantage to the dolly is prevalent throughout the industry, the only device known to me which allows a vehicle to be towed by a wrecker is a hydraulically operated scoop mechanism. Basically, this type of scoop mechanism consists of two wheel-receiving frameworks which are positioned at the end of a hydraulically pivotable arm affixed to the rear of the wrecker. During use, the two wheel-receiving frameworks are forced under the wheels of the vehicle, and then the hydraulic cylinder is operated to forcibly lift the vehicle off the ground. While this scoop device does permit the proper towing of a vehicle, it should be appreciated that the extended length of the arm of the device creates a large moment which exerts an excessive force on the rear of the wrecker. Consequently, this scoop device can only be used on the larger wreckers as opposed to conventional pickup trucks having a tow-sling adapted to the bed thereof. Because of this severe limitation, this scoop device has not been widely accepted throughout the industry.
The only other method for transporting the smaller sized automobiles, such as sports cars, known to me consists of a large, flatbed truck in which the bed of the truck slides rearwardly and then pivots downwardly to allow the vehicle to be moved thereon. The bed of the truck is then forced back on the undercarriage of the truck. Obviously, these car carrier systems are extremely expensive because of the necessity for purchasing another truck and a complex, slidable and pivoting bed mechanism. Several types of these trucks are illustrated in the references listed on said Information Disclosure Statement.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the vehicle carrier assembly art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which can be utilized in conjunction with a tow-sling of a conventional wrecker to tow a disabled vehicle with the vehicle's wheels completely elevated.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly for use in conjunction with a conventional dolly to tow a vehicle, either rearwardly or forwardly, by a tow sling of a wrecker without any modification to the wrecker itself, the wrecker's tow sling, or the dolly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly for use in conjunction with a conventional dolly in which the vehicle being towed is completely supported only by the wheels of the vehicle, thereby precluding damage to any other part of the vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which is capable of being easily disassembled for convenient storage in the bed of the wrecker.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which can be installed about the disabled vehicle with as little as two feet of clearance at the sides of the vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which is adjustable to be used to tow virtually any vehicle, irrespective of the wheel base of the vehicle, the width of the vehicle, or the width of the wheels themselves.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which balances the weight of the vehicle to allow the assembly to be used in conjunction with lighter tow trucks.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which can be quickly installed by one wrecker operator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a car carrier assembly which is economical to manufacture.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.